Star Wars Galaxies: To those of you who played, what are the key features that defined that game fo

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1). Crafting System - I have yet to come across a crafting system that was as detailed, intricate, or which allowed for so much invention and variety. The only thing that comes close is The Repopulation, but I'm not too sure about that game overall.

2). Socialization - The way the professions were designed fostered player inter-dependency. For example, combat classes required doctors to get buffs, and they required crafters for their weapons and gear.

3). Player Freedom - This encompasses quite a few features, but generally speaking the progression system which allowed you to build characters however you wanted. Also, the openness of the world. If you wanted to jump on a speeder bike and go "that way" for four hours, you were able to.

4). Consensual PVP - SWG had a great PVP system which used flags. The character could visit a recruiter for either the Rebels or the Imperials, request "Active Duty" status, and then they would be flagged for PVP. Likewise, a return and choose to be removed from Active Duty, and the flag was gone. The point being, there was no Open PVP. This allowed non-combat professions to actually enjoy the game without the threat of being ganked every five minutes.

It was a bit too grindy, imo, but it had awesome mechanics. It was a social game. Very fun to just chill and play music in the cantina, or be a doctor or whatever just waiting for injured players to come get fixed up whilst talking to the others doing the same.

I do remember working for days grinding in the engineering or whatever just to make my fancy mouse droid. Was so happy when I got it just to have it follow me around, even though it was useless. I got over it quick enough, but whatever. lol

The combat absolutely sucked, though, so I stayed away from that as much as I could. I will admit I never got overly far into the game, though. Was fun for like the ... 2 weeks to a month somewhere that I played it.

Joining a faction (which was optional), being able to switch factions, respeccing your class. Player cities, guild halls, cantinas, etc. Harvesting not node based but was deep and crafting was its own mini-game. Non-combat professions. Open world PvP. Space battles. Slicing and spicing. Damn I miss that game.

4). Consensual PVP - SWG had a great PVP system which used flags. The character could visit a recruiter for either the Rebels or the Imperials, request "Active Duty" status, and then they would be flagged for PVP. Likewise, a return and choose to be removed from Active Duty, and the flag was gone. The point being, there was no Open PVP. This allowed non-combat professions to actually enjoy the game without the threat of being ganked every five minutes.

You didn't even need to join a faction to get into a factional PVP fight. A neutral could run a mission for either faction (gaining some cred with that side in the process) and get a TEF (Temporary Enemy Flag). I found this out by helping out a friendly Imperial officer in Coronet, and then wondering "Hey, why are those guys suddenly 'red' to me?"

Having the Original Trilogy music, and using it to its greatest, fullest extent. Luke's Theme playing every time the sun sets made the hair stand on the back of my neck, every time.

The concept behind the skill system. Sure, as implemented, it always created a FotM frenzy, and as it would turn out, a Smuggler/Pistoleer was what I wanted to play and was pretty much the weakest build in the game... but what I wouldn't give to have other MMO's try to make a similar, more balanced system.

SWG had a big list of issues, but there were also a bunch of little things about it that created moments that I've yet to see matched in any MMO, since.